What to Look for in a LASIK
Surgeon
After considering if
you are the right candidate for LASIK you should then begin shopping
for a LASIK surgeon.
Even though the risks of LASIK are quite a bit less than
normal surgeries, you should still take researching a LASIK surgeon
seriously. Take the
normal precautions of comparing, setting criteria, doing your
homework, and understanding what will happen in the surgery.
Compare what each
LASIK surgeon relies on as their procedure of choice. Do they rely on the
traditional LASIK that uses a blade to make the incision or do they
use “bladeless” InterLase lasers to make all of the cuts. Ask what they believe is
most reliable and what they do the most.
Set forth a base of
criteria that you will hold each LASIK surgeon to. Don’t base it solely on cost
or on the doctor’s experience, but see if they perform what you feel
most comfortable with.
This decision will affect YOU for the rest of YOUR life, not
the surgeon’s.
Do
your homework to avoid scams related to the “20/20 vision or
guaranteed money back”.
Make sure you check these doctors against the consumer
affairs office or better business bureau to ensure that they do good
practice. Understand
what your rights are when it comes to having surgery and LASIK in
general.
Understand what can
happen during the surgery and ask your potential LASIK surgeon how
they handle a situation that could potentially end a procedure. There is a chance a mistake
could lead to permanent damage to your eye without even a chance to
have corrective surgery.
Ask the same
questions of your LASIK surgeon in relation to how he deals with
situations after surgery.
Question your LASIK surgeon about how they handle migration
of the flap, inflammation or infection, intensive eye drop
treatments, or additional procedures after the initial surgery.
LASIK surgeons are
also held to an FDA standard regarding the type of laser used during
the surgery. Make sure
you find out what laser your potential LASIK surgeon uses and
double-check it against the FDA’s approved list.
